We’re very thankful to have the support of our new and long-standing customers in our 20th year (32 in town if one goes back to Wally Vait’s On The Fly). On the way to the River today I saw leaves imitating snowflakes, three bald eagles dispatching an unlucky deer mired in corn stubble and a red fox pouncing through new cover crops trying to scare up a vole for breakfast. One does not need to look at wind advisories if the old metal roof hits a certain pitch, but it’s likely that kite shops will be busier today. As for the River, it is now dropping and flowing at 76 CFS, (about twice the normal flow for this time of year) is 51 degrees and clear-just not clear of leaves. That said, it’s tough to swing flies now without hooking a leaf-the sycamores will give you a quick tug.Try dead drifting and twitching a larger streamer instead to move larger fish. Whether they eat or not is usually determined by how bright the fly is…Stop in on your way up and let Hudson or Liam show you some patterns to trick those wild fish. We have lots of socks, hats, gift certificates to keep one warm and look forward to seeing you.

The shop will be open from 10-3 on Black Friday AKA #optoutside, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Cooler temperatures are right around the corner. This means cooler water and happy fish. The river is flowing at 140 CFS and has been holding there consistently. The water temperature has ranged from 58 down to 54 degrees throughout the day. with the rain last night the river is up but it will go back down soon. Streamer fishing has been very productive as well as euro nymphing and the occasional caddis emerger. Flies such as a classic prince nymph and copper johns are working exceptionally well right now as well as most euro nymphing style flies.One can’t go wrong with a classic wooly bugger, royal coachman or even a grey ghost. My personal favorite ly to fish this time of year is a big sculpin pattern. Flies such as the Maddison sculpin and the near Nuff Sculpin are great patterns.